Food
True or False? Is the "5-second rule" valid?
False! The '5 second rule' is a total myth! It doesn't take 5 seconds for bacteria to jump onto dropped food – it happens instantaneously. Also, the chance of your floor having no bacteria is slim.
True or False: There are bugs in your strawberry Frappuccino
No longer true... Before April 2012, Starbucks' strawberry Frappucino contained a dye made from the ground-up bodies of thousands of tiny insects, called cochineal bugs (or Dactylopius coccus). Starbucks stopped using carmine color in their strawberry Frappucinos in 2012. But the dye is still used in thousands of other food products — from Nerds candies to grapefruit juice. Not to mention cosmetics, like lovely shades of red lipstick.
True or False: Cats and dogs are not colorblind
True! they can see both green and blue
True or False: Microwaving food is good for you
True! Microwave ovens heat and cook your food by stimulating its molecules. This energy is converted into heat. While it is true that microwave ovens produce electromagnetic radiation, there are many different types of radiation. Electromagnetic radiation is not associated with harmful types of radiation such as nuclear energy and it does not increase your risk of cancer.
True or False: You are more likely to pick up a disease from a sink rather than a toilet seat
True! You're more likely to pick up an infection or disease from somewhere else in the bathroom! Its other surfaces – like the sinks, counters and door handles – can be home to nasty bacteria as well. In fact, the intact skin on your bottom will probably invite fewer germs into your body than your hands, which are more likely to have little cuts and scrapes on them, and which you use to touch your eyes, nose or mouth. Washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water is the best way to avoid transferring these germs into your body.
True or False: Sugar causes hyperactivity in children
False: Numerous scientific studies have tried and failed to find any evidence that supports this off-the-wall notion.
True or False: Eating garlic keeps mosquitoes away
False! There's no evidence to suggest that eating garlic will keep the mozzies at bay. A 2005 study investigated this claim and found that participants got bitten just as much as they did on the days when they didn’t eat any garlic, as on the days they did.
False! The amount of radiation you get from an X-ray is very low, and the chance of developing cancer as a result of getting an X-ray is very low too. Radiation-induced cancer is actually caused by high level exposure to industrial nuclear accidents, nuclear weapons or radiotherapy used to treat cancer.
True or False: Turkey makes you sleepy
False! After all, turkey contains tryptophan — an amino acid that is a component of some of the brain chemicals that help you relax.But plenty of foods contain tryptophan. Cheddar cheese has even more than turkey, yet cheddar is never pointed out as a sleep inducing food.
True or False: You should not always peel fruit and vegetables
True! The skin on fruit and vegetables like potatoes, apples, carrots and citrus fruits are packed with beneficial nutrients. An apple with skin, for example, contains up to 332% more vitamin K, 142% more vitamin A, 115% more vitamin C and 20% more calcium than a peeled apple. Meanwhile, a boiled potato with skin has up to 175% more vitamin C than a peeled potato.
Another added advantage is that the skins of fruits and veggies are high in fibre and can help you feel fuller for longer, which helps to deter snacking so you can manage your weight more effectively. There is also growing evidence showing that adequate fibre intake may benefit your digestion, improve blood glucose levels and aid in cholesterol control.
Basically, if you peel the skins, you are actually cutting out all these essential nutrients! So skip the undue hassle and enjoy the benefits instead. Just remember to wash your fruits and vegetables thoroughly if you plan to eat them.
True or False: Cracking joints does not lead to arthritis
True! Painless cracking of joints is benign and does not cause damage or arthritis. When the joint moves or when it is being pulled, areas of low pressure or a vacuum is formed within the joint. The cracking sound is caused by nitrogen gas being pulled into the joint when pressure is put on it. Sometimes, a crack sound can also be heard when a tendon moves over a part of the joint.
True or False: Sugar is as addictive as cocaine
False! although sugar may, in fact, trigger dopamine, no scientific studies using neuroimaging have ever backed up this claim.
True or False: Chocolate causes acne
False! A surprising amount of research has been devoted to the link between eating chocolate and having acne. Much of the evidence is inconclusive or contradictory, and for now, there is little proof to suggest that the occasional chocolate bar is going to have an impact on your skin.
True or False: Sleeping with wet hair causes a cold
False! You can't catch a virus just by going to sleep with wet hair. Being cold or damp isn't enough – viruses are contagious, so you actually need to come into contact with one to risk picking it up!
True or False: If your dad is bald, you will be too
False! Male pattern baldness is a trait on the X chromosome, meaning it skips a generation and comes from your mother’s side. So, yes, if your dad is bald, there is a chance you might become bald. However, it is only a possibility, and there are other causes of baldness.